We’ve come to the end of another season of Game of Thrones, and I have to say, this one packed a punch. So much happened. It made me laugh, it made me *nearly* cry, it made me gasp out loud. Though I could go through every little plot detail and way this or that deviated from the books, I’ll try not to. I’ll just talk about my overall feelings of the season in a list of pros and cons. Oh and if you are reading the books or haven’t caught up on the television show…

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT!

I don’t really have as many complaints as I did about last season. I think they found ways to get closer to the plot instead of distorting it beyond recognition, and I can really appreciate that. I think the production value is insane and the artistic choices were great.

Pros

I thought Jon and Ygritte were spot on in their romance. I loved their relationship from the first episode onward. They stayed very close to the books which was really great for fans of their whole story. I’m just not looking forward to seeing things come to an end in the next season.

The entire Jaime and Brienne relationship was wonderful as well. Though they altered things in tiny ways, the story was very close to the book and therefore, very satisfying. The transformations that take place in both Jaime and Brienne are fantastic to see brought to life on screen. You’re just rooting for both of them to be happy and healthy by the end of the books/show.

Dany and her dragons are doooooooope. As you can see by the comic in my previous post, I think she’s a total bad ass. When she was doing the negotiations for the unsullied I kept thinking, “Ooooh I hope they do this part justice,” and then she burned that shit DOWN. Also, Emilia Clarke portrays Dany almost exactly how I had pictured in my head (aside from the occasional bald/burned moments in the book) and that is something really special. She looks delicate and somewhat child-like, but also fierce and sexy. She is a great representation of the dichotomy that is woman. Go on, girl. Own it.

The Tyrells were brilliant. I thought every actor handled their role really well. Especially, the grandmother! She was hilarious and a formidable opponent for Tywin Lannister to boot. I enjoyed their behind the scenes negotiations. In fact, I enjoyed a lot of “behind the scenes” things this season. I told myself, just because it wasn’t written down in the book, doesn’t mean that it wouldn’t be perfectly logical for this or that character to have this conversation or this or that event to happen.

I also have to agree with Lena Headey and say that though it was absolutely horrifying (even if you knew it was coming), I thought that the Red Wedding was handled beautifully. It was wonderfully acted. It just struck an emotional cord in everyone and I think that is why people got so angry and felt betrayed. Michelle Fairley deserves at the very least, an emmy nomination for her breakdown at the wedding.

Cons

I still am irked that they made Talisa a character instead of Jeyne Westerling, but she’s dead now (and her death was heart-breakingly real) so whatevsies. I’m assuming she’s not going to be in Winds of Winter at all because everything they do on the show they supposedly have to run by George R.R. Martin, so killing the Jeynelganger off was probably his way of saying that she won’t be important now that she’s had her moon tea and her family has sworn fealty to the Lannisters in the books.

Likewise, I don’t like that they’ve changed Shae so much in to a likable character. As someone pointed out in my post on last season, perhaps they are portraying her this way to make her ultimate betrayal sting even more, but I’m just not a fan of their take on her. I feel like telling my friends who haven’t read the books, “Don’t fall for it! This bitch fucks him in the end! She’s a lying survivalist!” but then I realize I’d be a total wang if I did that, so I keep my mouth shut.

Finally, as far as changing appearances and characters go, my biggest annoyance this season was that they altered Daario so much. The whole time I was reading the book I was like, “What?…blue mustachio…gold tooth…bragging about screwing a million broads…what the hell does Dany see in this punk?” and now producers have basically replaced him with an Abercrombie and Fitch model to answer that question. They still gave him the swagger and his naked lady daggers, but that’s about the only likeness that has been carried over. I know it is a silly complaint, I just thought it was cheap to make him look so clean cut and Fabio-like. Yes, girls everywhere will swoon, but still. I mean, don’t they have enough eye candy with Ned Stark, Khal Drogo, Renly Baratheon, Robb Stark, Jon Snow? Jaime Lannister’s gimp hand isn’t so bad either. Right, ladies? That stump is hot! Admit it!

In summation, it was a great season and I really enjoyed watching week after week. I can’t wait for season four to come out next year, mainly because having read the books, I know a lot of what awaits these characters. Some huge events are going to happen in the next book for Bran, Jon, Arya, Dany and her posse, Sansa, and bum bum BUM…JOFFREY!

I also really hope that George R.R. Martin delivers Winds of Winter sooner rather than later. His track record with books being released in a timely manner isn’t so great, so I wonder what will happen if he delays. I think that they could split each book into two seasons and just expand and that would definitely give him plenty of time. It seems like they would make more money that way anyway, but I guess no one asked me.

Additionally, I can’t wait for the return of some of my other favorite shows. True Blood, Breaking Bad, and Dexter will all be back this summer, and it is the last season for Dexter and Breaking Bad. We’re only a week away from True Blood and it is killing me to wait. I’m rewatching old episodes in anticipation. Yeeeeee!